Maritime Monitor 2016

Maritime sector: High Tech, Hands On

For centuries the maritime sector has been a significant part of the Dutch business community. Thriving on the core principles of cooperation, innovation and entrepreneurship, the sector has become a global leader in delivering innovative solutions to the international markets.

Working in the maritime sector requires a special combination of a “can do” attitude and professionalism. Adventurous, independent, no-nonsense but above all; guts. Any man or woman willing to take on the challenge, awaits a sustainable career. One that is internationally oriented and based on centuries of experience.

The Dutch maritime sector is customer oriented and complete. Empathetic, daring, a global leader and a frontrunner in finding solutions others do not see or dare to see. Customised solutions based on quality, craftsmanship, experience, and innovation. The Dutch maritime sector is reliable. A deal is a deal.

The Dutch maritime cluster in numbers

In 2015, the direct and indirect production value was almost € 55 billion. The total value added amounted to around € 24 billion, including € 5 billion indirect value added. This means the maritime cluster generates 3.5% of the total GDP of the Netherlands (2014: 3.5%). The sector provided employment for around 265,000 people, which is 3.0% of total employment in the Netherlands (2014: 3.1%). Of these jobs, 165,000 were through direct employment.

The Labour market in the maritime sector underperformed the Dutch economy in 2015: the number of persons employed increased by 1.0% in the Netherlands while total employment (direct plus indirect) in the maritime cluster fell by 0.5%. However, the total value added (direct plus indirect) of the maritime cluster increased with 3.9% faster than the GDP of the Netherlands (+ 2.0%). It should be kept in mind that this increase of the value added is for

38% due to seagoing shipping. Declining fuel prices are most likely the reason behind this increase in value added in the seagoing shipping sector. This does not mean that the economic situation for the seagoing shipping industry has improved in 2015. The sector is still confronted with overcapacity and low freight rates.

The low prices on oil in 2015 has different effects within different sectors of the maritime cluster. For example: the offshore sector is struggling with falling orders by the loss of investment by offshore oil and gas companies. The shipbuilding and maritime suppliers were also (negatively) affected by this. For seagoing shipping, inland shipping and fishing the falling oil prices actually lead to lower fuel costs and thus to an increase in value added.

The total Dutch exports of the maritime cluster in 2015 amounted to approximately € 24.4 billion. Thus the cluster has a share of 4.4% in the total Dutch exports of goods and services.